Tiarrella plant named ‘FM Mooberry’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Tiarella cordifolia , ‘FM Mooberry’, characterized by its compact mounding clump growth habit, its white flowers on single and branched flower racemes, its unique foliage coloration with ovate-shaped green leaves with maroon markings in the center that expand to a greater area and become darker in color as the leaves mature in late summer, and its ability to form dense stands particularly suited for garden border planting, ornamental ground cover, shaded areas, and ecology and restoration planting.

Botanical classification: Tiarella cordifolia.

Cultivar designation: ‘FM Mooberry’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Applicationfiled for a plant derived the Inventor's breeding program that isentitled Tiarella Plant Named ‘Stephanie Cohen’ (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 12/806,647).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Tiarellaplant, botanically known as Tiarella cordifolia ‘FM Mooberry’ and willbe referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘FM Mooberry’.

The Inventor discovered the new cultivar, ‘FM Mooberry’, in a trial plotat his nursery in Coatesville, Pa., in 2007. The parentage of the newvariety is the result of open-pollinated plants of Tiarella cordifolia,and Tiarella cordifolia var. collina. The exact parentage is unknown asseveral hundred cultivars and unnamed plants from the Inventors breedingprogram were grown for seed production. The new cultivar, ‘FM Mooberry’,was selected for its unique growth habit, flower stem branching, anddistinctive foliage coloration throughout the growing season.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished bydivision in Coatesville, Pa. by the Inventor in 2007. Propagation bydivision and subsequently by tissue culture has determined that thecharacteristics of this cultivar are stable and are reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of ‘FM Mooberry’. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘FM Mooberry’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Tiarella.

-   -   1. ‘FM Mooberry’ exhibits a compact mounding clump growth habit.    -   2. ‘FM Mooberry’ exhibits white flowers on single and branched        flower racemes.    -   3. ‘FM Mooberry’ exhibits unique foliage coloration with        ovate-shaped green leaves with dark maroon markings in the        center. The markings expand to a greater area and become darker        in color as the leaves mature in late summer.    -   4. ‘FM Mooberry’ forms form dense stands particularly suited for        garden border planting, ornamental ground cover, shaded areas,        and ecology and restoration planting.

‘FM Mooberry’ can be most closely compared to ‘Stephanie Cohen’, whichis similar in having a clump-forming plant habit. ‘Stephanie Cohen’differs most significantly from ‘FM Mooberry’ in having leaves that aredeeply lobed with smaller maroon marking and in being very glossy whenin full bloom. In addition, the white flowers of ‘Stephanie Cohen’emerge from pink flower buds. ‘FM Mooberry’ can also be compared thecultivar ‘Brandywine’ (not patented), which is similar in having aclump-forming plant habit. ‘Brandywine’ differs from ‘FM Mooberry’ inbeing a larger plant and in having solid green foliage that lacksmarkings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Tiarella. The photographs weretaken of two year-old plants of ‘FM Mooberry’ as grown outdoors inone-gallon containers in Coatesville, Pa.

The photograph in FIG. 1 was taken in April and illustrates the springfoliage and flower buds.

The photograph in FIG. 2 was taken in May and provides a close-up viewof the mature foliage and blooms of ‘FM Mooberry’. The colors in thephotographs are as close as possible with the digital photography andprinting techniques utilized and the color codes in the detailedbotanical description more accurately describe the colors of the newTiarella.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of two-year-old plants grownoutdoors and in the greenhouse in one-gallon containers during 2007 and2008 at Coatesville, Pa., USA. The phenotype of the new cultivar mayvary with variations in environmental, climatic, and culturalconditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmentalconditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

-   Botanical classification: ‘FM Mooberry’ is a cultivar of Tiarella    cordifolia.-   General characteristics:    -   -   Plant type.—Perennial, evergreen.        -   Plant habit.—Compact mounding clump-forming.        -   Blooming.—Abundant in May and June, and sporadically            thereafter during the summer and fall.        -   Plant height.—Approximately 10 to 12 cm without blooms, and            approximately 28 to 32 cm with blooms.        -   Plant width.—Approximately 18 to 20 cm (1 year plant), 28 to            30 cm (2 year plant).        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility to diseases has been            noted during observations to date.        -   Root description.—Fibrous roots, branched racemes            occasionally root.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 7.        -   Branching habit.—Basal rosette.        -   Propagation.—Division and tissue culture.        -   Vigor.—Moderate.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Cordate to ovate, slightly lobed, with 5 lobes            the central one being more pronounced, lobes broadly obtuse            to rounded and cuspidate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf margins.—Crenate at leaf maturity, doubly serrate in            juvenility.        -   Leaf size.—Approximately 7 to 8 cm in length and 6 to 7 cm            in width.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute to rounded.        -   Leaf base.—Cordate.        -   Leaf surface.—Slightly rugose, upper surface; slightly            glossy, setulose with setae 2 to 3 mm in length and NN155C            in color, lower surface; glabrous, velvet matte, texture            contrast more evident in fall foliage coloration.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Basal clump.        -   Leaf venation.—Palmately reticulate, upper surface; fine,            slightly translucent, 144C in color, lower surface; raised,            pubescent, color a blend of 148C and 144C.        -   Leaf color.—Summer emerging upper surface; N144A with 187C            at center and along main vein, summer emerging lower            surface; 146B to 146C, summer mature upper surface; 143B to            146C with 187A in center and along main vein, summer mature            lower surface; N144D, fall mature upper and lower surface;            exhibits light and darker patches varying in colors from            49D, N77A, 53D, 186B, 187A to 187B.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Petiole.—Approximately 6 to 10 cm in length and 1 to 2 mm in            diameter, 197B suffused with 182C, surface pubescent with            hairs 1 to 2 mm in length, NN155C in color.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence Type.—Raceme and perfect (bisexual).        -   Bearing.—On a branched stalk commonly having a height of            approximately 28 to 32 cm, with a cauline leaf,            subsequently, branched racemes emerge, bearing a cauline            leaf at the side branch.        -   Inflorescence size.—About 15 cm in length (from base of            raceme) and 4 cm in width.        -   Number of blooms per raceme.—Approximately 35 to 50 blooms.        -   Flower size.—Approximately 5 to 7 mm in length and 3 mm in            width.        -   Flower buds.—Globose in shape, about 3 mm in length and 2 mm            in width, NN155B in color.        -   Flower fragrance.—Slight and sweet.        -   Lastingness of flowers.—About 4 days.        -   Calyx.—Five-lobed, sepals fused at base, 145D in color.        -   Petals.—Five, triangular in shape, surface glabrous, color            upper surface NN155C, color lower surface NN155B.        -   Pedicel.—Approximately 6 to 7 mm in length and 1.5 mm in            width, surface pubescent, color N77D.        -   Androecium.—10 stamens, anthers 168A in color, pollen not            observed.        -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil.        -   Fruit/seeds.—Approximately 600 seeds, 0.2 grams per plant.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Tiarella plant named ‘FM Mooberry’ asherein illustrated and described.